Braves vs. Cardinals

Today we went to a Braves game at Turner Field.  This was the baseball game Doug gave me for Valentine's Day.  The Braves played the St. Louis Cardinals and this was game 2 of the 3 game series.  The Braves lost yesterday, so we were hoping the home team would win today. 

Our seats were in left field and we sat in the front row.  I held Weston and he did really well for being 10 months old.  The girl sitting next to us, who was probably about 20 and carefree, kept giving Doug and me the stink eye (I guess) because we had a baby.  She'll be a great mom someday.  He wasn't really interested in the game, but he did enjoy seeing the people around us and having the Braves Dippin' Dots we bought.  It was INCREDIBLY hot out and since it's April in Atlanta, we didn't expect it to be so hot.  We had sunscreen for Weston, but Doug and I didn't use it. Big mistake, big, huge! (Extra credit for knowing what movie that line is from.)

The Braves lost 3-2, but since neither Doug nor I are fans of either team, the outcome didn't matter.  The bottom line is we had fun.

Turner Field

Ever since Doug and I met, we have discussed going to all of the baseball parks in the United States (and the one in Toronto too).  Doug loves baseball and I love traveling, so why not?

We would have still taken our daughter on these trips, but especially since we have a boy, Doug and I are excited to get started on our goal to visit all the ball parks. 

I've only been to Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, FL- which is the home of the Tampa Bay Rays.  Doug has been to Tropicana Field, Sun Life Stadium in Miami (Florida Marlins) and Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati, OH (Cincinnati Reds).  However, neither of us have taken a tour of any ball park.

Today, we went on the Turner Field tour.  Turner Field is in Atlanta and it's where the Atlanta Braves play.  Doug loved seeing the behind-the-scenes goings on of a ball field.  I just enjoyed the sunshine and hanging out with my guys. 

There are seats right behind home plate that are $25,000 a piece, you have to buy them in pairs, and you have to keep them for 3 seasons.  That's $300,000 of outlay before you ever get to the stadium.  Goodness!  This is the view from those seats.

We had a great time!  Since Doug is a Chicago Cubs fan and I am a New York Yankees fan, Wrigley Field and Yankee Stadium are definitely on our list to visit soon!

Horrific Storm

Yesterday, I said that tornadoes may be coming through my area.  I had NO IDEA just how big and devastating the storms coming through my area were going to be. There were apparently more than 50 tornadoes in Alabama yesterday, 10 of which were F4 or F5 in strength. 


Our power went off and on starting about 9am and then went permanently off about 11:00am.  About 11:15am, we started getting pounded with hail, which is a precursor to tornadoes. Doug was at work, so Weston and I huddled in the hallway with the dogs.  It's hard to contain a 10 month old and two rambunctious dogs in a hallway, in case you were wondering.


Since we had no power, I got weather reports on my phone. We hung out in the hallway for a while and when it appeared that the storms had passed, I decided to put Weston down for a nap. Since I am spoiled and need air condition to function, I had a lot of trouble relaxing in the stagnant house.  Therefore, I just read by the window until Weston woke up.  About that time, Doug got home.


Although we didn't have power, there was no damage to our house or fence.  We were really blessed.  We did not realize how badly our area was affected.


We decided to go look for dinner, (wrongly) assuming that it was just our area that was out of power and there must be areas around us with power and food.  We drove around for about 90 minutes looking for dinner.  NOTHING in our area had power and the damage we saw around was shocking.  Just north of us, a high school was torn up and a Piggly Wiggly was completely leveled.  We ended up at a Publix grocery store that was running on generators and bought sandwich items.  We sat in the parking lot and ate our dinner.


Doug, Weston and I were planning on leaving this afternoon to go to Atlanta for the baseball game, however Doug didn't have to work today (no power), so we opted to leave this morning for air condition, Internet and family.  My parents are at our house watching the dogs.


I feel horrible leaving my parents, neighbors and community right now.  I am SO very thankful that we were left unscathed from the storm and feel like I should volunteer, helping those who were not so lucky. When we get back from Atlanta, I plan to volunteer at shelters or a church helping in whatever ways I can.


As we left town, the damage in light was so much worse than what we saw last night.  My parents are hearing there will be no power for at least a week, if not longer.  A lot of the repair trucks are going to Tuscaloosa, where there was more damage and there's many abandoned college students down there.


After seeing the damage in our area and around the South the outbreak of tornadoes have done, I am sure that if we were directly hit at our home, we probably all would have been dead.  Our hallway would definitely not have held up, collapsing on top of all of us.  Weston may have been ripped out of my arms.


I'm not trying to be dramatic, but as we drove to Atlanta today, I was thinking about just how much worse it could have been and how my baby and I could have died yesterday.  I am so thankful to God for protecting my family and my immediate neighborhood. 


I will be praying for those families who lost everything and/or family members and hope you will be too.

Tornadoes

We are supposed to have a lot of tornadoes coming through today.  Since I moved from Florida and Mississippi, I am used to hurricanes, but never tornadoes.

With hurricanes, meteorologists predict where they think the storm will be going.  There are also warnings given days ahead of time which allows people in the probable area to evacuate the area.

Tornadoes are completely different.  You do not know where a tornado will be touching down, if it touches down, until 7-10 minutes before it will be in your area.  This doesn't give you much time to evacuate, much less grab your belongings and move into a storm shelter.  Another problem is that most homes in my area (including my own) don't have storm shelters.  Therefore, if a tornado does come to my area, Weston, Doug, the dogs and I will all be huddling in the hallway.  Our closet has two outside walls and our bathrooms have glass windows so the hallway is the safest place.

I'm very scared.

The power is flickering and it has taken me 45 minutes to write this short post.  Gotta go!

College Graduation

On a warm Spring day three years ago tomorrow, I graduated from college. This was a bittersweet day for a few reasons.
*Back story: I hated college.  I wasn't the biggest fan of school in general.  (I know, I became a teacher). When my grandmother passed away, while we were waiting for the funeral home to come pick her up, I promised her I would finish college and I'd do it for her.

While I was waiting to go into the arena with my fellow College of Education graduates, I took masking tape and wrote "For Amie" on my mortarboard.  No one in my family knew I was going to do this, so they were all taken aback by my message. I really, really missed my grandmother that day and I knew she would have been SO proud of me for finishing school.

Since we graduated in alphabetical order by college, my college had a few in front of us, plus the Master's candidates.  After the Master's candidates graduated, they left, which I found very rude.  I felt as if everyone should have stayed until the entire ceremony was over out of respect for the fellow graduates.  After my college walked across the stage and returned to our seats, I noticed even more graduates had left.  I remarked to those around me how rude it was to leave and be so disruptive before the ceremony was finished.  Little did I know, I was about to eat my words.

About 10 minutes after I returned to my seat, my cell phone vibrated.  I had my phone so that my family could text me where they were sitting and so we could find each other after the ceremony.  The message said "come find us".  I looked up to where they had been sitting and there was no one there.  So I texted back "why?! that's rude to leave just because i've already graduated. y'all are no better than everyone else that has left." I was PISSED! I figured I'd just continue sitting there until it was over, but then various family members continued texting me.  The messages became more and more urgent.  When I got to the lobby and met up with my family, I found out what the hurry was all about. 

One of my aunts had flown to Florida for my graduation, leaving behind her husband, son and daughter.  My cousin had a baseball tournament that weekend and since my uncle was a coach, they decided to just keep my other cousin with them.  On the way home from the tournament, they were involved in a very bad car accident and were all taken to the hospital.  My aunt was understandably shaken and needed to make phone calls.  Everyone was wanted to support her, so it was just easier to leave the arena.

After taking pictures and verifying that my uncle and cousins were going to be alright (my uncle's parents live in Mississippi and were able to go to the hospital), we headed to the Embassy Suites where my parents were hosting a graduation party and dinner for me.  All of my mom's siblings came, along with my my third cousin Leona.  It was a very nice affair and all of my family members gave me items that helped me begin my teaching career.

Easter 2011

The Easter Bunny definitely showed up at our house yesterday!


Weston is a very blessed little boy.  The Easter Bunny left him many goodies including Special Agent OSO and a Special Agent Wolfie plushes, a blue bunny, blocks and books.

His biggest gift from the EB was a redneck swing set.  It is just a few pieces of wood constructed to hold his new swing.  He loves swinging in it!

My parents got him a pool and pool toys, so that will be a lot of fun to play in as the weather warms up!

Weston is a very blessed little boy.

Happy Easter!!

I hope you are all having a wonderful Easter and enjoying the Lord and the feast.  :-)

Christians Turning Away Their Own...and Others

With Easter coming up soon, I have a gripe with some churches and their way of handling Easter services.

The church I attended in Florida, a church in Austin, Texas and I'm sure many others around the nation are requiring tickets for their Easter services.  Although I understand the fear of overcrowding, I have a few issues with requiring tickets.

• It has been proven that non-believers and casual church-goers most likely attend church at/around Easter and at/around Christmas.  If you turn away those who are wanting to learn about the Lord, you are not only doing a disservice to these people, but also making a bad name for Christians.
• I know for a fact that the church in Florida can accommodate many, many people by holding their services outside.  While they were building the church buildings, they held services outside using speakers and such.  Easter in Florida is generally a beautiful time to be outside, so why not make the services unlimited capacity?
• Wouldn't "standing room only", accommodating everyone who chooses to attend, be preferable to requiring tickets, thus turning people away from God?

Just some things to ponder during this Easter weekend.

Doctor's Appointment

Luckily, Weston has been a very healthy baby.  The only unscheduled trip to the doctor we've had to make was back in February when I shared my flu with him. 

Today was his 9 month appointment.  He'll be 10 months in 10 days, but our pediatrician was on maternity leave until today. 

For my records and memory, his stats today were:

Height: 30.5" (He was 22" at birth)
Weight: 18 pounds, 12 ounces (He was 8 pounds, 13 ounces at birth)

He wears size 2 diapers and 9-12 mo clothes.  Due to his length, he needs at least 12 month pants, but his waist is so tiny that he can fit into 3 month shorts.

Our next appointment will be the day after he turns one.  I cannot believe my baby will be ONE in a little more than 2 months!

Lost Dog

Today we went back to the Y to swim.  We had fun and the splash pool's fountains were on, so it was even more entertaining for us Weston. 

When we went to get into the car, there was a dog running around the parking lot.  The Y is just off of a very busy road and Doug and I didn't want the dog to get hit.  Therefore, we tried to get it to come to us, which he did.  He had a fairly new collar on with a rabies tag attached, but no owner contact information. 

I tried calling the vet from where the rabies tag was issued, but of course, on a Sunday, they weren't open.  The answering service referred me to the emergency vet, whom I called.  However, they also were of no help.  They said animal control only comes out if the pet is being a threat to the community.  This sweet dog was definitely not threatening.

I was very upset that no one in my community could help me locate the dog's owners, even if it is a Sunday.  Doug went back into the Y and they said they thought the dog lived in a town home across from the Y.  So Doug, Weston and I drove over to the town houses and looked for someone who might be home.  Doug knocked on one door because we saw children in the window.  The guy who answered said it wasn't his dog, but that the dog belonged to the people in the end house.  So, Doug went to their home and asked if they were missing a dog- they were.

The lady was very happy to see her dog again.  She said she sent her husband to look for him and hoped he would be able to locate their missing pet.  She also told us that "Paco" was an 8 year old Australian Shepard and that his original owner was a soldier who went to Iraq, but unfortunately didn't make it back home.  These people adopted the dog from the shelter, so now Paco has a forever home. 

Doug and I went home happy that we were able to reunite a dog with its owner and that he was now safely at home.

Swimming

Last night, Doug and I became members of the YMCA.  We had both been members of the Y when we were younger, but since moving away from Florida, neither of us had thought to become members again.

Near our house is a brand new Y that opened about the time we moved up here.  Because it was so cold up here from the time we arrived until a few weeks ago, I hadn't given much thought to swimming and/or teaching Weston to swim.  However, the past few weekends have been beautiful and caused me to long for a pool to swim in.  I also decided this would be a good time to teach Weston how to swim.  I looked online for when the next swim class would start.  I found out that it starts on Monday, so I told Doug we needed to become members ASAP so that we wouldn't have to pay the non-member fee.  Another perk of being a member would be access to the awesome gym, so it's not just for swim lessons.

After we took a tour of the facilities, we decided that we should definitely join and that perhaps for the time being, Doug and I could work on teaching Weston to swim, since the classes were quite full, and I'd prefer to have a smaller learning environment for him.  Plus, they have a toddler splash pool that he can touch the bottom of, which will give him more confidence and me more peace of mind while he learns to swim.

This morning, we went shopping for a swimsuit, swim diapers and floaties for his arms.  This afternoon, we took Weston to the pool.  My firstborn is apparently a fish because he has no fear of the water and wanted us to let go of him so he could explore on his own.  We also went into the big pool and he swam back and forth in between Doug and myself.

The best bonus of all was that he was VERY tired when we got done swimming and he was ready for a long nap.  Hmm, maybe we'll go swimming every day...

Show Us Your Life- Books

Today, Kelly is doing a "Show Us Your Life" regarding books.  I have never participated, but since I love to read, I thought 'why not?'.

I don't make a lot of time to read.  It seems that I find so many other things to do with my time that reading falls to the bottom of the priorities list.  I play with Weston, which is more important than reading anyway.  I am on the computer, either reading blogs or writing on mine.  I also have errands to run, meals to prepare and a husband to keep me busy.  So, like I said, reading (and time for myself in general) falls to the bottom of the priority list.

*I do read to Weston and read devotionals every single day*

BUT, when I do read, I really enjoy books by Mary Kay Andrews.  She writes books about women who are employed, but there is a dilemma where they work, whether it be a man, a customer or a calamity.  The South is a backdrop for all of her books.  I really love her books.  When I was pregnant with Weston and then while I fed him once he was here, I read several of her books.  I definitely recommend them!

I also have a few books that are waiting to be read, so I am not sure how I will like them yet.  I have Eat, Pray, Love and The Year of Living Biblically still waiting to be read.

I'm excited to read some suggestions of others that link to Kelly's page.  I'm also going to try and find more time for reading, even if that means less TV or computer.

More Questions

1. How many TVs are in your house? right now we have 3-living room, bedroom, one of the extra bedrooms

2. If you could play hooky from work for a day, what would you do? I don't work outside the home, so I can't really play hooky.  If I was away from home and Weston and Doug for a day, I'd sit somewhere in silence where no one could call me and there was no noise.
3. What was your favorite vacation? My honeymoon to St. John.  We had so much fun exploring the island.

4. Do you prefer to stay in on a Saturday night or go out on the town? I like to go out on Saturdays, but only for dinner and a movie.  Not like clubs or parties.

5. What is your favorite place to online shop? I don't shop online that much.  I did just buy Weston stuffed Special Agent Oso and Wolfie animals.  That's only because we don't have a Disney Store near here.
6. What is your guilty pleasure TV show? I like watching Glee.  I'm not sure why though.

Driveway Chalk Fun

I had to go to the store today to have a few prescriptions filled.  Although I was the only one in the pharmacy, they told me it would be about an hour.  Great...  So, I made the most of the time and went shopping.

Always keeping my little guy in mind, I looked for big crayons made for little hands. I figured I'd get some paper or a coloring book and let him play with the stuff.  However, I couldn't find any crayons, so I looked for a plan B.  I found sidewalk chalk and it was very inexpensive, so I bought it.

After naptime, we went outside to use the chalk.  Weston loved playing with it, banging two pieces together to see what noise it made, but not using it to scribble.  He did however have chalk all over himself. 

He's still little so we'll try it again sometime soon.  Eventually he'll get the point and we can scribble in the driveway.

Privacy and Safety

I've kept Weston's (along with Doug's and mine) face off of this blog.  I've also been somewhat vague about where we live and kept our last name off of the blog as well.  This was done basically to keep my family and myself safe from the crazy people that lurk the internet. 

The other day, when I wrote the post about Weston playing with the pudding, I planned on posting pictures of the fun.  However, the only pictures I have are of his face and I'm still not comfortable with having his face on the internet.

I'm glad I chose to keep his face off of this blog because a well-known blogger (at least here in the South) recently had someone take pictures from her blog and use them as their own, claiming that her children were their children.  Now she's struggling with keeping her family safe and keeping the creeps away.

This is very scary stuff, especially now when people can take anything from the internet and make up new stories and personas based on other peoples' lives.  I'm also terrified of pedophiles and those crazy women who can't have children and then go steal others' children.  

Therefore, I will continue to keep our faces and personal information off of this blog.  The dogs can stay because dogs all kind of look the same.  Plus, anyone that wants to mess with Hattie can try...but I can't guarantee that they will remain in one piece. 

Comparisons

1. Who is your man? Doug
2. How long have you been together? 2 1/2 years
3. How long did you date? We dated for 3 months, were engaged for 9 months and have been married for 19 months 
4. How old is your man? He's 26- for another month
5. Who eats more? Probably Doug, but I eat my fair share
6. Who said "I love you" first? Doug did
7. Who is taller? Doug is, he's 6' and I'm 5'8"
8. Who sings better? Truly, neither of us can sing, but I guess if I had to pick one of us, it's Doug
9. Who is smarter? Depends on the subject- I have a broader knowledge, but Doug knows more specific information
10. Whose temper is worse? Definitely mine! It take A LOT to get Doug upset.  He's VERY laid back.
11. Who does the laundry? We both do it.
12. Who takes out the garbage? We both do it.
13. Who sleeps on the right side of the bed? Depends on how you're looking at the bed.  If you're looking at it, I do. 
14. Who pays the bills? I guess we both do.  I write the checks, but he pays the online bills.
15. Who is better with the computer? Definitely Doug! He uses a computer all day at work.  Excel causes me to break out in hives.
16. Who mows the lawn? Doug.  I am highly allergic to grass and therefore would need a mask and mass amounts of Benedryl to complete that task. 
17. Who cooks dinner? I usually end up cooking more than Doug, but he helps out.  Before Weston, we did it together, but now someone ends up entertaining him.
18. Who drives when you are together? Doug.  For some reason I don't like driving.
19. Who pays when you go out? Usually Doug, but if I have my card out, then I do.
20. Who is most stubborn? Definitely me! 'Nuff said.
21. Who is the first to admit when they are wrong? Doug. I apologize too, but Doug apologizes first. 
22. Whose parents do you see the most? My family.  They are closer than Doug's family.
23. Who kissed who first? He kissed me!  He likes to kid that I kissed him first.
24. Who asked who out? We were fixed up on a blind date. But he did call and ask me on that second date!
25. Who proposed? Of course Doug did!  December 21, 2008
26. Who is more sensitive? Definitely ME!
27. Who has more friends? Probably Doug, but I stay in touch with my friends better.
28. Who has more siblings? We both have one younger brother.
29. Who wears the pants in the family? Doug.  I'm ok with that.

Hurt Feelings

When I woke up this morning, I checked my Facebook feed, well, because that's what I do.  I guess maybe it helps me feel connected to the outside world when my biggest entertainment for the day is a 9 month old and I don't see an adult all day until Doug gets home from work.


Anyway, I checked my feed and saw that one of my friends had joined a specific group.  This group is dedicated to breastfeeding and bashing formula feeding.  I just recently discussed the choice to breastfeed vs. formula feeding.  I feel that however you feed your child is your business and you should not condemn those who feed their child differently.


I was very hurt that my friend would join this group because it makes me wonder if she condemns me for formula feeding Weston.  I have thought about this group all day long.  My feelings have been very, very hurt by the fact that there are many, many people in this world that feel that those who do not nurse their children are bad parents, selfish and lazy.


As far as giving my child nutrition, I am just as good of a mother as any other mother out there.  I may be better than or lack in other areas compared to other mothers, but my child is as healthy and well-fed as any other baby.


I do not feel as if I should have to defend my and millions of other women's choice to formula feed our baby.  Whether children are formula fed because of health issues or because a mother prefers to isn't anyone's business to comment on.  I am SO tired of breastfeeding mothers thinking they are holier than thou.

I don't ever hear parents that formula feed their babies condemning those who breastfeed, so why do those who breastfeed feel they have the right to condemn those of us that don't?

Pudding Painting

Last night, we let Weston fingerpaint with chocolate pudding.  Considering that he HATES being dirty, I didn't have much hope for him actually digging in and making a mess.  However, after a little coaxing, he started playing in the pudding.  He had it in his hair, on his forehead and all over the floor, highchair and his chest.  He played in it long enough to liquify the pudding and then he went on to slap the highchair tray and fling pudding all over the kitchen.  He had a great time and I enjoyed watching him discover texture and play in the pudding.

Other Blogs

Doug says that all I read is sad blogs.  He says that I only find blogs that document sick babies or children who died too soon.  However, this is not true at all.

The truth is that I read several Christian blogs.  Those blogs are occasionally ask for prayers for people in very sad situations.  I end up clicking the link to the blog to read the whole story behind the prayer request, basically so I know specifically what to pray for.  Then, I tell Doug the heartbreaking stories I've read about and he thinks those are the only blogs I read.  However, I read many blogs, most of which are just the daily lives of people, which isn't that significant, so I don't tell Doug about those.

Also, some of the seemingly sad blogs sometimes turn out well.  One example is Grace whom I have spoken about.  She wasn't expected to survive after birth due to defects discovered at 20 weeks.  She is now over a month old and only spent a couple weeks in the NICU.  I can't imagine thinking for 20 weeks of gestation that my baby wasn't going to survive past birth and then rejoice when she is born alive and seemingly stable.  The power of prayer works!

Finally, reading the "sad" blogs just makes me appreciate my family and my baby that much more.  I feel so horrible for the people I read about, but I am thankful that they share their stories, because it is their stories that make me realize just how blessed and lucky I am.

Prunes...YUCK!!

*This is a bodily fluids post.  Read at your own risk.*

Weston usually has no issues moving food through his body.  Even if he's had a small stoppage, we've given him either more time or a little apple juice and everything moves on through. 

Since we've been giving him Tylenol for his teething, he has become stopped up more frequently.  He's not really a fan of the reduced sugar apple juice though, so we can't give him much of it before he will stop drinking it.  He hadn't had "progress" for a couple of days and it was starting to affect his stomach.  Therefore, we decided as a last resort, to give him prunes.  Most people won't eat prunes by choice, however many people swear by prunes to help relieve constipation.

Weston isn't picky and will eat just about anything.  The first few bites of prunes went well, but very quickly Weston figured out that he wasn't a fan of prunes and then clenched his jaw shut, refusing to eat anymore.  Doug and I ended up wrestling with a 9 month old to get the majority of a container of prunes into his body.

We had given him the prunes at about 10pm (he's usually in bed by now, but we wanted to get him some relief as soon as possible and it was time for his night feeding anyway).  I figured the prunes would work overnight, possibly causing a blowout and mess in the crib.  However, the next morning, there was no relief for Weston, but thankfully, also no mess for me to clean up.  Before his afternoon nap, I put Weston on the changing table, but he only had a wet diaper.  As I put the clean diaper under him, he coughed.  Apparently the cough broke the dam and let's just say that Weston was given relief and I was given a huge mess to tend to.  I was just glad that Weston was no longer stopped up.

Perhaps after the prune experience, Weston will be more open to drinking the apple juice we give him.

Thank God For Unanswered Prayers

When I was in the car today, I heard "Thank God For Unanswered Prayers" by Garth Brooks and it made me start thinking about my unanswered prayers.

I think about the several guys that I thought, at the time, could become my husband.  I think about what my life would be like now if I had married any of those guys.  I was SO broken-hearted when those relationships ended.  I thought I'd never find love (not that I loved any of those guys).  I could have been married to a teacher, a Army guy or a policeman.  I probably wouldn't have the opportunity to be a stay at home mom, but more importantly, I wouldn't have Weston.  I know that my life wouldn't be nearly as amazing as it is now.

I also think about if life had worked out the way I had prayed, I would have moved to NYC to teach inner-city children, which means I wouldn't have worked at the learning center where I befriended one of Doug's friends who introduced me to the man of my dreams.  We wouldn't have lived in the same region, much less the same state, so there's no way we would have met each other.

It's no secret that I really want(ed) a girl.  I was devastated when Weston was born and the little girl I so badly wanted was a (not-so) little boy that I didn't know I needed.  I thank God every day for a healthy, adorable, sweet little boy.  I wouldn't trade him for several girls.  He is a mama's boy and I enjoy watching him learn new things and grow up.  It absolutely breaks my heart to think that, at one point, I didn't think I wanted a boy.  It also breaks my heart to think about the fact that he's almost 1.  This doesn't mean that I don't still pray that Baby #2 is a girl, but I can appreciate a boy and if #2 is a boy, I will still be overjoyed.

Lastly, I thank God that my grandmother passed away when she did.  I obviously miss her VERY much and do wish she were here.  However, I know she is no longer in pain and no longer worrying when the next heart attack or stroke will occur.  Her death caused me to re-evaluate life and to see that I needed to finish college.  If she had still been alive, knowing how precious life is, would I have followed a man that I hardly knew to Alabama, causing me to be away from her in her last years?  Would she have approved of me moving in with a guy I hadn't yet married?  No!  I would have respected her wishes and most likely stayed in Florida, perhaps forfeiting my relationship with Doug.

I thank God for unanswered prayers.  Even when we don't think the choice is right or good, it always works out in the end and He has what's best for us planned out.

In A People House

Partly because I love books and partly because I am a teacher and know how important early literacy and books are, my child(ren) have a very expansive library of books.  These books range from picture books all the way up to chapter books.  Doug and I, along with my parents, add to their library at least once a week.  Some people may think that reading to children is ridiculous or a waste of time, but I honestly believe that it helps children immensely to learn letters and how to read and to expand their imaginations.

When I was little, I used to like a book by Dr. Suess called In A People House.  I'm not sure what was so 'great' about the book that I remembered it so well, but it was still one of my favorite books nonetheless.  It is about a mouse that shows a bird around a 'people house' naming items along the way.  The book contains household words such as window, wall, ceiling, ball, etc. which helps children put the spelling of words with pictures of the same item.

I knew that when I was ready to have children, this book would definitely be in their library.  I probably have my copy somewhere, however, after 17 moves, I'm not sure where the book is.  I had been looking in stores for this book for a while because I also thought it would be a good book for my classroom.  About a week before we found out we were expecting, I happened to see the book for the first time in many, many years, at a military Px of all places.  I mentioned to Doug that since I couldn't find it anywhere and because I had an inkling that perhaps I was pregnant, we should buy the book.  We had just gotten married and back from our honeymoon, so money was tight and Doug suggested we wait until we were sure we were having a baby.  Fast forward several months and I have forgotten about getting this book because I was focused on buying more important things for the baby.  I came home one day and found In A People House sitting on my pillow.  Doug had ordered it online and told me that the baby wanted me to have it.

Doug and I have both read this book to Weston several times and he seems to enjoy it.  I can't wait to read it to subsequent children and maybe even have Weston read it to his younger siblings.  Hopefully it will become one of their favorite books and read it to my grandchildren.

States and Countries I've Been To or Would Like To Go To

I have been to the following states in our country:

• Florida
• Georgia
• Alabama
• Mississippi
• Louisiana
• Texas
• Oklahoma
• Arkansas
• North Carolina
• South Carolina
• Tennessee
• Kentucky
• Illinois
• Indiana
• Ohio
• West Virginia
• Virginia
• Maryland
• Delaware
• Rhode Island
• Washington D.C.
• Pennsylvania
• New York
• New Jersey
• Connecticut
• Massachusetts
• Vermont
• New Hampshire
• Maine
• Virgin Islands

*I'd eventually like to visit all 50 states.

I've been to these countries:

• Canada-several provinces
• France
• England
• Wales
• Scotland
• Germany
• Austria
• Belgium

I'd like to go to these countries:

• Australia
• Italy
• Greece
• Tahiti

Beautiful Day - 2

Today was also a beautiful day, maybe even better than yesterday.  Unfortunately, Doug and I spent it inside tutoring students. 

My mom took Weston on a "field trip" down our street and back.  They looked at mailboxes and the numbers upon them.  They also looked at the new Spring flowers, all the bright and vibrant colors.  Weston really enjoys the walks and I think my mom enjoys teaching her grandson about nature and his environment.

Next weekend, we don't have to tutor, so hopefully we'll have nice weather and be able to take full advantage of it.

Beautiful Day

Today, we went to the park to have a picnic and walk around.  It was such a beautiful day here in North Alabama, we just couldn't waste it.

We went and got Publix subs and headed to the park.  It was so nice to sit in the sun, people watch, let Waveland play and get fresh air. 

The fresh air got to us all and we took a very nice late afternoon nap.

As much as I love the snow, I love the early Spring.  It's not too hot yet and the trees and plants are in bloom.  The landscape is lovely to look at and the weather is wonderful to be in.

Unfortunately, tomorrow, we will be stuck inside tutoring, even though it is supposed to be absolutely beautiful again.

Hopefully the weather will be just as awesome a week from now and we can enjoy the outdoors again.  I can't wait until next weekend!!

Mothering Choice #3

The past couple of days, I have discussed choices I (or Doug and I) made with regards to our child.  Today, I am discussing circumcision.  This is a very personal choice for any parent of a boy.

Regardless of the statistics presented (more than 80% of American men are circumcised; 650,000 male babies were circumcised in 2009; uncircumcised men are just as clean as those who are circumcised; circumcising removes a lot, if not all, sexual pleasure), it is up to each set of parents whether they want to have their son circumcised or not.  Whichever path they choose for their son should not be judged or criticized.

Critics of circumcision state many reasons for not circumcising male babies.  Looking like their father, cleanliness and mutilation are all cited as reasons against circumcising a baby.  Also, people say that it is wrong of the parents to take away the right of the child to do with his manhood what he pleases, i.e. if he wants to be circumcised as an adult, he can make that decision for himself.

Those who are pro-circumcision also have many reasons for their decision.  They want their son to look like his father, they feel that it would be cleaner or perhaps there are religious reasons for their choice.  It has also been pointed out that if a male is circumcised as an older child or as an adult, their can be more complications both with the surgery and with the recovery/result.

I find it very interesting that the people that are most embroiled in this debate are women.  Women don't have a basis to decide whether or not circumcision hurts, if babies remember the procedure or if it is easier to clean as an adult.  If you asked any man that was circumcised as a baby, unless he is lying, he will say he doesn't remember the surgery, nor can they tell you if it hurt or not.  Also, I'd like to know how research was done to determine that sexual pleasure is greatly diminished by circumcision.  If an intact man has had sex, he knows the feeling.  If he is then circumcised, he knows that feeling as well.  However, if his circumcision is poorly done, that may affect his pleasure level.  If a baby is circumcised at birth, he doesn't know what kind of pleasure he would have had intact, so he can't compare his pleasure.  Either way, if surveyed, all men would probably say they get plenty of pleasure.  Women commenting and judging on circumcision is like a man deciding if a woman should have an epidural during childbirth or not.  Neither have the right to decide on the opposite gender issues.

I was recently in a public bathroom changing Weston.  For whatever reason, a woman decided to comment on Weston's genitals and the decision that we made.  She felt the need to give me her opinion.  I brushed it off, but seriously?!  I don't care if she's the foremost expert on circumcision choices, who is she to tell me what I should or shouldn't have done with my child? 

With regards to Weston, the choice was ultimately up to Doug.  He is male and can relate to the genitalia a male has.  Although I had a definite opinion one way, we discussed the pros and cons of both.  We decided on what we felt was best for our child and any future sons.  Whether or not it was the "right" choice by anyone else's standards doesn't really matter, it's what we decided for our child.  No judgement needed.